This morning as I went about my chores here on our little hobby farm from God, it occurred to me that a woman's apron has got to be one of the most handy items around the kitchen.

For over 20 years I have put on the same apron or two in the living history realm, and at events I strap the ties and proceed to "live" history using that apron. I never gave it a thought at how much I used that apron as I plodded to and fro on the historical sites. So many times I cupped that apron to haul kindling for the wood stove, or covered my hand with it to secure a coffee pot or hot cast iron off the top of the same stove. I guess I never really thought about how functional an apron can be.

"You can never have too many aprons or too many memories!" ~EllynAnne Geisel~

Today when I look around on Etsy or Ebay I can find a myriad of unbelievably adorable aprons. "Aprons for Spring" ..."Aprons for the Holidays"... "Mommy and Me Aprons"..."A Grilling Man" apron. The choices are phenomenal and truth be told, the prices are as well. I should go into the business of selling them at the price they fetch today! With all the Iron Chef, Chopped, and Rachel Ray cooking shows sweeping the cable stations aprons have once again come into a sort of functional fashion.

Our ancestors however considered the apron nothing but work attire. Even in the higher classes, once you put on an apron...you planned on performing some sort of chore and Heaven's to Betsy if someone stopped over unannounced you quickly took that apron off! The typical farm wife had a few aprons hanging in her kitchen which she wore most of the day. The handy pockets kept all kinds of needed items at the fingertips, and were quite convenient for the egg or two missed earlier in the day walking through the hen house. The corner of that same farm apron worked wonders on a crying child as the tears were wiped away and the scrape or bruise was attended to. And those apron strings...my how some of us needed to cut those apron strings! Ever wonder where that saying came from? From the farm wife that strapped on a wool apron to shovel manure to the high class lady who wore her apron for needle point, many women wore aprons.

A few years ago, having a tight budget and the season being Christmas I purchased many yards of basic cotton prints. For hours I put together aprons of all kinds of prints and styles. Aprons for my Mom, for my daughters, for my daughter's friends, for my friends. It was fun piecing together the different colors for each person. I really enjoyed deciding who would get the blue checked apron (that one had Libby written all over it) and who would get the red and black bizarre design (totally Alex!) . I must have made 25 aprons that year...but I did not make one for myself. Last year I decided now that I am becoming an old (hobby) farm wife, I needed an apron. Basic brown is the color...100% cotton...and I wear it nearly every day! From collecting eggs, to wiping the flour off my hands I cannot get over how functional and almost necessary this apron has become to me. I wonder how the pretty frilly things they sell on the computer or at the specialty stores stay clean? I guess if you do not use it for the cooking and cleaning like I do it stays pretty pristine. I do have one special apron that my daughter bought for me; it is all white and frilly, I believe it is from about the 1940's. That apron is perfect for tea time...if I ever have any lady friends that visit for tea I will be suited up! But my brown apron is probably the handiest thing I have in the kitchen and is starting to show some wear. I think on my next weekend off I will make another one so when the brown one is in the wash I have a back up...after all I love my functional apron!

I love the story about the apron. I use dish towels the same way. I must have 50 or 60 in a drawer in the kitchen ready to go at all times. works much better than paper towels. saves money and just drop them in the washer when done.